Automobile bumper-attaching hanger



W. G. PANCOAST AND W. J. GROTENHUIS.

AUTOMOBILE BUMPER ATTACHING HANGER. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, 1921.

Patented Oct. 10, 1922.

if 20870750/151 mm Gfcuwoaw t 70 3% Z4; 6 70/1411, s

El. ERMJ'SQAST, 'WIIMET'I'E, AND WILLIAM J. GROTENHUIS, OF CHICAGO ilbljliblfi lfi, AJSEIGNOBS, BY MESNE-ASSIGNMENIS, T BIFLEX PRODUCTS COMPANY.

@FQH'LQM'EXDN Q33" DELAWARE.

AUIUMOBILE B'QMPER-ATTAGEING EANGER.

Application filed September 9, 1921. Serial No, 4599374.

"0 of? wile-m it may concern Be it h Wl'l that we, Vl nmmivi Gr. PAN- l .rnmmu: J. GROTENHUIS, bothcitiof the Unit-ed States, and residents of suite and Chicago, respectively, in the y or ook and State of Illinois, have nted certain new and useful Improvein Automobile Bumper-Attaching ers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in automobile bumper attaching hanger designed to be built into the frame of an auto- -mobile, and comprising as an integral part ti of e member to which the bumper may be directly attached.

Tl ill-Ci? of the/invention is to provide liege: in he nuture oLt' me al fitting which \viil tote the mounting of bumpers upon automobiles, and in such a manner to treat the bumper as a standard and .e member-rather than as on accessory to died or not as the whim of the owner l. lit the present time, the actual :ctive value or a bumper is, rapidly r mprozuzhing universal recognition, and it; llOWS, therefore, that it is desirebleto simiry and standardize the method of attach merit of such bumpers, making them more.

so nearly an integral part of the automobile by eliminating the usual clamps and brackets and other comparatively insecure devices for attaching the same to the frame members.

:55 A further object of the invention is to provide e fitting to which a bumper may be directly attached, and yet so designed as not to present an unsightly appearance in the absence of a bumperv The usual practice in automobile frame construction is to provide at the front ends of the longitudinal frame members A-A an integral head to which the for -urd end of the sprin B is connected by means of a spring bolt I ust as shown in Figure 1. In equipping an automobile with a hanger con-- structed in accordance with the invention, the frame members are out just short of the usual head which supports the end of the spring, and 11 complete bumper attaching hanger is secured, which includes in a single integral member a shank 1 by which the hanger is joined to the frame member, a head serving the same purpose as the corresponding part eliminated, and finally the bumper attaching portion 3 especially designed to receive the parts acting to'connect the bumper proper to the fitting. As already suggested, the ports 1, 2 and 3 are formed in a, single metal casting or forging and preferably applied by the use of rivets or other means of permanent connection.

The shank 1 extends longitudinally inward from the end of the channel shaped frame member 1' fitting Within the slightly tapered end portion thereof, and consisting of a verticel plate bearing fletwise against the vertical web of the frame men'iber, and provided with integral transverse reinforo ing webs H adjacent the, longitudinal reel". A suitable number of rivets 5-5 extend through the shank and the vertical Web of the frame member, as Well as rivet extending transversely through the horizontel Webs near the end of the frame members, and an enlarged portion 7 at the forward end of the shank l. The head 2 projects imme- The construction of a hunger will now be diately beyond the end of the frame member described indctail, and with reference to the A and Consists ofn body having shoulders accompanying drawings, in which n pre- --8 abutting against the end of the frame erred form of fittin is illustrated as folmembers, and a large cavity 9 opening lows; downwardly and adapted to house the end of Figure l is a top planview of the forward the spring B. The spring bolt C passes end oi a frame member oi an automobile, transversely through the head ngag ng n and equipped with a hunger. and ebumper eye b formed at the end of the spring B. ottnched'thereto; Immediately forward of the head is the Figure 2 is an enlarged viei'v in side elevabumper attaching portion 3, consisting of tion of a single hanger, an integral and vertically disposed plate ex- Figure 3' is e VlBW in front elevation of the hanger Without a bumper attached, and

lignre ll is eperspective view of a bumper attaching clip,

tending above and below the head at substanthe plate is reinforced by a vertical Web 10 extending between the rear face of the plate edges thereof, and tapering from front to tially equal distances. The upper portion of hole 12' in upper and lower edges rounded as shown in- Figure 2 in order to provide a more pleasing appearance in the absence of a bumper.

The function of the plate is to form an abutment for the bumper, and a connection for the attaching member which has the form of a U-shaped clip ll'having a long and a short leg 1.2 and 13, the former pass ing downwardly in front of and belowthe bar 14 forming the rearwardly disposed portion of the bumper 'D and the latter engaging over the upper edge of the plate 3 in the manner of a hook. The short leg 13 is provided also with a slot 13 which engages the reinforcing web 10, and acting to secure the clip in place.

As clearly shown in Figure 2, the clip 11 clamps the bar l tflatwise against the face of the plate 3, and is itself connected to the plate by means of the hooked connection before described, and further by means of a cap screw 15 which passes through a drilled the lower portion of the clip and a tapped hole 16 in the corresponding portion oftlie plate 3. 4

An automobile equipped with such a hangeiat the forward end of each frame member A. may have a bumper quickly and easily attached at any time, and yet in the absence of the bumper, the attaching memoer of the hanger; namely. the plate 3, is not objectionable, inasmuch as its size and shape would not detract from the general appearance of the automobile; in fact, it would be scarcely noticeable.

The primary advantage of a hanger of this character is obviously to provide the automobile with an integral port or fixture to which a bumper can be directly attached without altering, cutting or mutilating the frame members in any way, or the use of clamping members secured thereto. The, bumper thus becomesan integral and standard part of the automobile without the attendant difficulties that are usually experienced in attaching bumpers without any special provision for doing so.

The novel features of the invention are further set forth in the appended claims wherein we claim:

1. A hanger of the characterdescribed,

permanent comprising a shank adapted for connection with the end of an automobile frame member, a head beyondthe end of 2. A hanger of the character described,

shank portion adapted to be permanently fixed in the end of an automobile frame member, a head beyond said shank portion. and an integral abutment plate at the forward end of said head, a bumper attaching clip having a hooked portion along one edge adapted to enga e the upper edge of said plate, and means or securing the plate to the lower edge of said plate.

3. A hanger of the character described, comprising a shank portion adapted to be permanently fixed in the end of an automobile frame member, a head beyond said shank portion. a vertical abutment plate in tcgrral with said head, an integral web extending transversely between said head and plate. and a bumper attaching clip adapted to hook over one edge of said plate and slotted to engage said web against displacement.

l. A hanger of the character described, comprising a shank portion adapted to be comprising a permanently lined in the end of an automcbile frame member, a head proecting beyond the end of said frame-mom er, a vertical abutment plate integral withtsaid head, and provided with a transverse reinforcing web between said plate and head, and a bumper attaching clip adapted to hook over one'cdge of said plate, and provided with a marginal slot adapted to engage said web, and a screw passing through the free end of said clip and anchored in the oppositecnd portion of said plate.

ln witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe our names this 7th day of Sept. A. D. 1921.

lvllililrllil G. PANCOAST. WILLIAM J. GROTE'NETUIS. 

